In short: Sit about a hand-width from a dynamic podcast microphone, such as a Shure SM7B, and speak slightly across it rather than straight into it. That keeps plosives, the pops on P and B sounds, down. Keep the same distance all the way through, use a pop shield and do a soundcheck before you start.
A lot of bad podcast audio comes down to where the voice sits in relation to the microphone, more than to the microphone itself. Three habits fix most of it: a steady distance, a slight angle and a quick soundcheck.
The illustrated guide
The illustrated guide below is a step-by-step set of drawings of a generic dynamic microphone on a boom arm, one step at a time: the front of the mic, distance, height, angle, the shield and the soundcheck. This page has the same steps in writing so you can print them or send them to a guest.
Illustrations made with AI and annotated by Granary. Generic kit, no real product shown.
Read every step as text
Step by step
- Find the front of the mic. Every microphone has a front, and the manufacturer's guide shows which face it is. The Shure SM7B is a dynamic broadcast microphone, so check its guide before you sit down. Speaking into the wrong face makes the voice thin and distant.
- Set the distance. Start with about a hand-width between your mouth and the foam, roughly 8 to 10 centimetres. Closer gives more bass and more intimacy. Further away gives a thinner, roomier sound, and a dynamic microphone like this one needs more gain to cope.
- Set the height. The mic should be level with your mouth or a little below, pointing up towards it. You should not have to tilt your head up or hunch down.
- Angle yourself. Instead of speaking straight into the middle, aim your voice slightly past it, so the air from P and B sounds goes by rather than hitting. A few degrees is enough.
- Use the shield. Keep the foam cover or pop shield on. It is there to take the blast out of the plosive.
- Soundcheck. Read a few lines at your normal volume, then say a few P and B words. Listen on headphones. Adjust distance first, then angle.
- Hold your position. Pick your distance and stay there. Leaning in and out changes the level and the tone.
What plosives are
Plosives are the thump you get on P, B and sometimes T sounds, when a puff of air hits the capsule. It sounds like a low pop. Distance, angle and a foam shield all cut it, and they work better together than any one on its own. Editing can soften a plosive but cannot remove it entirely.
A worked example
A host starts at about 2 centimetres from the microphone because it makes their voice sound deep. Every P pops. We move them back to roughly a hand-width, turn the mic a few degrees off-centre and ask them to speak across it. The sound is a touch thinner, so we raise the gain a little. The pops go and the voice remains full.
Common mistakes
- Eating the mic. Right on the foam gives boomy bass and loud pops.
- Moving about. Turning to look at notes or the guest changes the sound. Put the notes at the mic.
- Pointing the wrong end. Always check which side is the front.
- Touching the table. Knocks and taps travel through the stand. Use a boom arm and keep hands off it.
- Turning gain up to fix distance. It also raises the room noise. Check your distance first. A quieter room matters as much as the mic, see why a treated room beats a better microphone.
Guests and remote recording
A guest who has not done this before will lean in. Show them the distance with a hand on the desk, and do the soundcheck with them. If they are not in the room, send these notes in advance, see recording a remote podcast guest. Our checklist of what to bring to a podcast recording is worth sending as well.
If you would rather have an engineer set the microphones and watch the levels, you can book the Podcast Studio.
Related guides
- Recording a remote guest properly
- Room sound: why a treated room beats a better mic
- What to bring to a podcast recording
- All guides and tools
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
How far should you sit from a podcast microphone?
With a dynamic microphone like the SM7B, start at about a hand-width from the front, roughly 8 to 10 centimetres, and adjust by ear. Closer gives a warmer, bassier sound but more pops. Keep the distance the same throughout.
How do you stop plosives when podcasting?
Speak slightly across the microphone instead of directly at it, use a foam or pop shield, and keep a little more distance. Then check by saying "peter piper picked a pepper" and listening back.
Should you speak into the top or the side of a podcast mic?
It depends on the microphone, so check the manufacturer's guide for which face is the front. Point that face at your mouth and do not speak into the end or the back.
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